Cooling means for catheads



Oct. 26, 1943. w A, DlcKsoN COOLING MEANS FOR OATHEADS Filed Nov. 17, 1941 2 Shee'csT-Sheel 1 a HHH Qn am S Oct. 26, 1943.

COOLING MEANS FOR CATHEADS Filed Nov. 1'7, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR MQW TORNEY w. A. DxcKsoN I 2,332,700v

Patented Oer. 26, 1943 asian@ s rare-Nr* ortica My invention relates to means for cooling, through th'e medium of a circulating liquid, catheads'such as ar'ejin common use on oil` field draw-works. f f

It is not primarily new inthe art to circulate a liquid into and out of the `draw-works catheads p or winding spools in order to cool them, but so far as I have been able to ascertain, persons previously applying thisprinciple have resorted to the use of various hydraulic packing between the cathead shaft and the cooling liquid chamber or reservoir.v

The prime object ofA thepresent invention is the `provision of a simplified cooling structure which does not require any means for packing between the liquid chamber and the cathead shaft, or the liquid chamber and the 'cathead sleeve, as the case may be.

A further object isjthe provision of a cool-ing" structure which requires no `anti-friction bearings between the shaft 'andthe liquid chamber. Another object is the provision ofa device for the purposes described which is lso designed that it maybe installed upon practically-any of the present day spinning linecatheads without the catheads having been particularly constructed to accommodate the cooling-system. A still further object is the provision of a cooling system for the purposes described which has no moving parts to become worn or get out of order,r the only wearv being occasionedU by movementl of the circulating liquid.

Other vobjects willbe apparent from the following description when taken in connection the the accompanying two-sheet drawings,

wherein:

v indicated by the reference numeral 8.

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view Q f "a usual t type of spinning line cathead to which'the present inventionhas been applied;

Figure 2 is a side elevational `view of the same;`

and., Y

Figure 3 is an end view of the invention operatively mounted around a cathead, shaft, which is shown in vertical section as being mounted upon a usual support of a draw-works,

`Referring. now more particularly to Figure 3 of the drawings, the reference numeral I indicates a portion of a usual draw-works jack-post,`

having a usual bearing mechanism Zattached thereto by detents 3 and into which is Vjournaled a usual cathead shaft 4. InFigure l4 the` shaft 4 is depicted as terminating atthe lineb', and to the end portion of theshaft is keyed` a sleeve portion 6 of a usual spinninguilineA cathead l.

Ile() The key ywhich' connects theshaftzand sleeve is It is usualpractice to form most spinning line catheads, s uch'as that indicated by the reference numeral l, with the interior thereof hollow. from the end 5 of the shaft outwardly tothe extreme outermost end dof the drumv'po'rtion Iii thereof. It t is Valso common practice to provide through' the wall of the'sleeve portion one or more openings, such as that indicated by the reference numeral I I, `whereby `air may circulate through the openings II `and through th'e bore of the cathead. The mechanismfthus far d escribedis entirely usual to spinning line catheads,

` and is not apart ci the presentinvention other than that the present invention is designed to be installed upona cathead of such a type. IBy, this is meant that the present cooling system is not primarily designed for installation upon automatic catheads, although there `might be found instances where thesystem could be applied to ani automatic cathead. u I

In; carrying out the present inventionI provide the exterior surface offthe sleeve Bwiththe plurality of two or-more spaced outwardly extending'annularvahes'orxns I2. These vanes I2 are'V each originally formedy in two semi-'circular sections and areplaced around the sleeve Sv'and welded thereto as indicated .by the refer-` ence numeral I3,"- The meeting ends of the vane sections are', of course, alsoweldedtogether.' Surrounding the outer edges of the vanes I2, but` not touching such' edges, is provided a cy-` lindrical drum I4 which ismade in two substantially semi-circular halves which are outwardly flanged at' their meeting faces and which are bolted together'by a series Yof bolts I5 V(Fig. 2). The upper and lower sections of the housing I4 are indicated respectively by the reference nul merals I6j and Il. As mayMbestt be seen in Fig-y ure 3,"is"uitable brackets I3 are provided for mounting the lower body section I'l to the-jack- `post I so .that it is held in rigid position with' rec nerA surface ofthe housing Marea plurality of annular vanes or ribs 22 having their bores substantially the same diameter as the bores of the ends 2! of the housing, so that the inner surfaces of the vanes 22 do not touch thesleeve portion 6 of the cathead. The vanes 22 are provided adjacent the inner surface of the housing I4 with a series of annular spaced perforations 23,

and these vanes 22 are so spaced from each other that they fall between the vanes I2 of the sleeve 6. Any suitable plurality of the vanes I2 and 22 may be provided so long as they are spaced apart from each other in a manner substantially similar to that shown in Figure 1.

Firmly welded into the upper body surface of the body section I 6 is a pipe nipple 24 adapted to receive a hose, not shown, :forl injecting a cooling liquid such as water, into the space lying between the adjacent vanes I2 of the sleeve 6 and between the sleeve 6 and th'e housing I4.,

projected at an angle at which it does not strike theopposite window II, however. The bottom of the section I'I isprovided with a pipe connection 25which acts as van outlet for uid as will be more fully described hereinbelow.

As best shown in Figure l, the outer or freev end of the cathead 1 is closed by a disc or plate 26 held in place by a plurality of suitablevdetents A gasket 28 is employed to prevent leakage around the disc 26. Y

operation In operation, vwater or other suitable cooling liquid is projected through the nipple 24 and as the windows or openings I I rotate beneath the stream, the liquid lis projected through the windows toward the outer end of the cathead. Thev space 3E] lying between theY sleeve 6 and the housing .and between' thevanes I2, and into which the vwater is rstprojected, may ll up to some extent but it is not intended that it shall ever'becomeentirely full, since the volume of the incoming liquid may be controlled by a suitable valve, not shown. v In order for the liquid toescape from the housing I4- along the sleeve 6, it would first have to buildfup sufficiently to pass over the vanes jI2 and through the clearance I9, thence back -to the sleeve 6 and under the vanes 22, andsoon. In other words, the vanes I2 and 22 act as a means for preventing escape of the liquid but at `the same time relieve the necessity of there being any packing whatsoever between the housing I4 and the sleeve 5. There is therefore no necessity of having any anti-friction bearings, since there `is no contactfbetween any part ofthe housing and any part of the cathead mechanism. The space inside of the cathead will neverbecome entirely filled with the liquid, however, ldue to its rotation. Its inner surface will be constantly covered with a film or layer of the liquid, and as the liquid gravitates to the bottom of the bore of the cathead, it will partially escape through thel windows 'and -thence outwardly from the housing through the outlet 25.

From? the foregoing' description, it may be seen that a cooling system has been provided for spinning line catheads, which system will accomplish all objects for which it is intended.

jecting ribs rigidly carried by the spool at each t end'of said opening; a substantially cylindrical hollow housing surrounding said ribs and spaced slightly from the outer peripheries thereof; a plurality vof vinwardly projecting spaced annular vanes rigidlyfcarried by the housing, said vanes f staggeredwith relation to said ribs .and extend- -ing adjaeentto -but not into contact with said spool;` means for injecting a liquid into the top of the housing; and means for withdrawing said liquid .from the bottornof the. housing.

2. In adevice of thecharacterY described, the combination withf ahollow spool having aeropef winding portion closed at one end, and having-ar connected sleeve portion at its other, end, the sleeve portion having ay lateral through opening leading from its; exterior toV its interior, said y sleeve portion being mounted uponyaj'shaft for4 rotation therewith, of:- ai tubular jacket sur-l rounding the sleeve portion vand enveloping vsaid opening; a series of spaced outwardly extending annular ribs carried bythe ysleeve portion; a series of spaced inwardly-extending annular vanes carried by the jacket; an upper inlet to` the jacket; randa lower outlet from the same,

said ribs andvanesalternating with relation to each other along thesleeve:portion,` andboth series being free fromcontact with themember carrying the other series;v f

3. A device ,of the character v described .in-

cluding: ajhollowvrope windingvspool; a hollow sleeve portion connected-tov one end of the spool and mounted upon a shaft for rotation therewith; means for hermetically'closing the other end ofthe spool; lateral passages through the sleeve portion leading yfrom its exterior to its interior; a plurality of spaced annular outwardly projectingribs --rigidly carried by the sleeve ateach end of the lateral passeifges;` asubstantiallyl cylindrical hollow housing l,surf rounding said .ribs and. spaced A slightly fromV the outer peripheries thereof; a pluralityk of v inv 4 wardly projecting spaced annular vanesy rigidly carried by 'thefhousing said vanesstaggeredv. with relation to said ribs and extending adjacentv to but not into contact with said sleeve; means.' 1 for injecting a liquid intoV the top of` thehousing; and means for withdrawing said liquid from.

the bottom of the housing.

. 4. A device as described in clalm 1, in which l the -housing is constructed of two semi-circular body halvesl adapted to be fastenedr together around thespool; and means, for fastening one body half to asupport. i 'f 4 5. A device `as describedin claimLin which the jacket' is `constructed of two semi-circular' body halves adapted to be fastened together around the sleeve portion; and means for fasy tening one bodyh'alfto a support..vr

6. n device' as describedin claims,` in whicnf i the housing is constructed v'of twofsemi-circular body halves adaptedv to be fastened together around the sleeve portion; and means for 4fastening one body lhalf to a support.

7. A device of the character described including: a hollow rope winding spool;` a hollow sleeve portion connected to one end of the spool mounted upon a shaft for rotation therewith;

means for hermetically closing the other end of the spool; lateral passages through the sleeve portion leading from its exterior to its interior; a water jacket surrounding but not in contact with the sleeve portion, said jacket enveloping 

